Health Library

Choosing Less Calories, Salt and Alcohol

The more you eat, the more calories you consume; the more active you are, the more calories you burn. If you consume more calories than you burn, they’re stored as fat which can make you overweight.

If you choose calories carefully, you’ll find you can actually eat much more and get more nutrients.

For example, this entire meal has fewer calories and more nutrients than a single cinnamon bun from the local mall.

When making healthier food choices you can also choose to eat less of certain items.

A healthy adult can eat up to 2,400 milligrams of sodium, or salt, per day. Most of us eat a lot more. And we’re not even aware of how much sodium we’re eating because it’s hidden in prepared foods. So eating more fresh, unprocessed foods is a healthy choice.

In some people, eating too much sodium, or salt, can lead to high blood pressure.

Alcohol can be tricky. It can have healthy benefits, especially red wine. But, it’s high in calories and people who drink excessively have a high rate of health problems. So if you choose to drink, drink in moderation. That means men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women one drink per day. One drink is a twelve-ounce beer, five ounces of wine, or one-and-a-half ounces of liquor.

Calories, salt and alcohol - three things to look out for when making choices for better health.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.